Euro Lock versus Traditional Mortice Lock

[dg123]

I am looking at fitting a 'Euro' type mortice lock as the keys are smaller (it will please the missus) but I do not want to sacrifice security if these are not as effective as a five / seven lever mortice.

Does anyone have a view as to how effective / secure the 'Euro' type locks are when compared to the more usual mortice locks?

 

[JohnD]

My opinion is that almost no cylinder lock is secure (possibly the incredibly expensive Ingersoll cylinders are OK).

They generally do not meet the BSI for burgalar resistant locks.

There are ways of pulling or drilling them out, and even a failed attempt will damage them so they have to be replaced.


Is the problem that you are carrrying a number of big keys around, or is even one big key too much?

 

[Ukwoody]

I'm going to disagree slightly with John (No offence! ). The most secure method is still undoubtly a 7 lever traditional mortice lock. BUT exactly the same applies to both sorts. You get what you pay for!

A good quality euro lock has a steel tumbler (as opposed to brass) in the forth or five postion, making drilling them out extremly hard. Also the second tumbler is often vertically ribbed to prevent picking. Believe me, it is damn nearly impossible to get thru the darn things once there set.

The actual lock mechanism is almost identical to a traditional mortice lock so again, a good quality one will have steel roller bars going into the actual lock snib, preventing cutting, and a good deep "throw" so the snib of the lock sits well into it's keep preventing wedging the door apart.

Having spent 3 years working in a very large NHS trust fitted with both sorts - when the keys get lost there aint a lot of difference!

One more thing to bear in mind. If they WANT to get in they will!
Woody